DESMOND KEARNEY'S SHOCKING CHILD SEX CRIMES IN ASHFORD LEAD TO 10-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Ashford, Desmond Kearney, a 66-year-old man residing on Church Road, has been convicted and sentenced to a decade behind bars for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed against two young victims.

It was a chilling revelation during the court proceedings that a brave child victim, aware of the gravity of the situation, warned Kearney with a stark warning: “You will go to jail for this!” Despite her courageous attempt to alert authorities, Kearney responded with a sinister remark, saying, “Not if you don’t tell anybody!” Fortunately, the child did confide in police officers, leading to Kearney’s arrest and subsequent conviction.

The court heard that Kearney’s crimes included multiple instances of abuse, with one particularly disturbing incident involving forcing one of the children to perform a sexual act. Prosecutor Francesca Levitt detailed the extent of the abuse, emphasizing the severity of the case. Following his arrest, Kearney initially denied the allegations, attempting to dismiss the accusations as false. However, the very next day, he was seen driving around Ashford in a state of turmoil, contemplating whether to take his own life.

It was during this period of inner conflict that Kearney made a pivotal decision. He voluntarily attended a police station, where he confessed to the crimes he had committed. During police interviews, he provided five separate statements, attempting to justify his actions by claiming that his pre-pubescent victims had initiated some of the sexual acts. Despite these attempts at minimization, the evidence against him was overwhelming.

Further complicating the case, Kearney was initially granted police bail but was reported missing in the early hours of the following morning. Later, he returned to the police voluntarily, expressing feelings of suicidal ideation and admitting that he had been dishonest in his earlier statements. Throughout the investigation, he continued to seek to downplay his involvement, despite the clear evidence of his guilt.

The victims’ parents described their children as “tormented little victims,” suffering from “horrific trauma” inflicted by Kearney. One parent described the experience as “a living hell,” highlighting the profound and lasting impact of his actions.

During the sentencing hearing at Canterbury Crown Court, Kearney pleaded guilty to ten charges, including indecent assault and rape. Judge Recorder Bobbie Cheema QC condemned his actions, stating, “You caused serious harm to your victims, who you groomed and corrupted, and you bear full responsibility.” The court also imposed a lifelong ban on Kearney working with or having unsupervised access to any children under the age of 18, underscoring the severity of his crimes and the need to protect others from potential harm.